Removable dust receptacle for dust collector

ABSTRACT

A dust collector includes a post extended from a base, a housing disposed on the post, a dust collecting receptacle, a cover coupled to the housing and disposed above the dust collecting receptacle for selectively closing the dust collecting receptacle or for selectively opening the dust collecting receptacle, and an actuating device for selectively actuating the cover to close the dust collecting receptacle, and for selectively moving the cover away from the dust collecting receptacle to open the dust collecting receptacle and to allow the dust collecting receptacle to be moved either away from or toward the base and to allow the dust to be easily dumped or removed from the dust collecting receptacle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vacuum collector or dust collector,and more particularly to a vacuum collector or dust collector having adust collection barrel or dust collecting receptacle detachably securedto the dust collector for allowing the dust collecting receptacle to beeasily removed or disengaged or moved away from the dust collector andfor allowing the dust received or collected within the dust collectingreceptacle to be easily and quickly cleaned or dumped from the dustcollecting receptacle.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical vacuum or dust collectors comprise an array of drum filters anda frame disposed in a permanent operative position proximate the array,and a number of longitudinal members operatively disposed on the framefor receiving and filtering and collecting the dirt, and suction nozzlesextended from tubes for drawing and collecting the dirt.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,201,785 to Lin, the present inventordiscloses one of the typical vacuum collectors having a dust collectionbarrel for collecting the dirt or the dust, and having a vacuum devicefor drawing the dirt or the dust into the dust collection barrel.

However, after the dirt or dust drawing or collecting operations, orwhen it is required to clean or dump the dust collection barrel, it willbe difficult to remove or disengage or move the dust collection barrelaway from the dust collector.

In addition, no pressing or locking or positioning devices have beenprovided for pressing or locking or anchoring the cover to the dustcollection barrel such that the cover may have a good chance to bedisengaged from the dust collection barrel while conducting thevacuuming operations.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional vacuum or dustcollectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a vacuum ordust collector including a dust collection barrel or dust collectingreceptacle detachably secured to the dust collector for allowing thedust collecting receptacle to be easily removed or disengaged or movedaway from the dust collector and for allowing the dust received orcollected within the dust collecting receptacle to be easily and quicklycleaned or dumped from the dust collecting receptacle.

The other objective of the present invention is to provide a vacuum ordust collector including a manually operated device for selectivelysecuring or anchoring or positioning the dust collecting receptacle tothe dust collector.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a dustcollector comprising a base including a post extended upwardlytherefrom, a housing disposed on the post, a dust collecting receptacle,a cover coupled to the housing and disposed above the dust collectingreceptacle for selectively closing the dust collecting receptacle or forselectively opening the dust collecting receptacle, and an actuatingdevice for selectively actuating the cover to close the dust collectingreceptacle, and for selectively moving and disengaging the cover awayfrom the dust collecting receptacle to open the dust collectingreceptacle and to allow the dust collecting receptacle to be movedeither away from or toward the base.

The actuating device includes a bar attached to the cover and moved inconcert with the cover, and device for moving the bar and the cover toclose the dust collecting receptacle. The moving device includes ahandle pivotally attached to the post and coupled to the bar forselectively moving the bar and the cover to close the dust collectingreceptacle.

The moving device includes at least one arm and a link pivotally coupledbetween the bar and the handle for allowing the bar and the cover to bemoved to close the dust collecting receptacle with the handle.

The handle includes at least one catch extended therefrom forselectively engaging with the arm and for selectively anchoring andpositioning the arm and the handle to the plate and the post. The armmay further include a curved portion for engaging with the catch.

The actuating device includes a plate secured to the post, and thehandle is pivotally attached to the post with the plate. The plateincludes two flaps secured to the plate for forming a space between theflaps, and the handle is pivotally attached to the flaps with a pivotaxle.

The housing includes a duct extended from the housing and coupled to thecover with a flexible member. The flexible member is preferably abellows-type flexible member.

The dust collecting receptacle includes at least one orifice formedtherein and coupled to the duct with a pipe, and a dust bag disposed inthe dust collecting receptacle. The dust collecting receptacle includesa casing attached to the dust collecting receptacle and having theorifice formed and located within the casing and having an apertureformed in the casing and coupled to the duct with the pipe.

The pipe is coupled to the casing with a flexible member. The flexiblemember is also preferably a bellows-type flexible member. The pipeincludes a control valve for selectively opening and closing the pipe.

The base includes an opening formed therein for slidably receiving thedust collecting receptacle. The base includes at least one rail, and thedust collecting receptacle includes at least one anchor for slidablyengaging with the rail of the base and for guiding the dust collectingreceptacle to slide and to move relative to the base.

The housing includes a compartment formed in the housing, and a fandevice disposed in the compartment of the housing for vacuumingpurposes. The housing includes a canister coupled to the housing andcommunicating with the compartment of the housing for receiving a lightweight dust.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum collector in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating theoperation of the vacuum collector;

FIGS. 3, 4 are partial cross sectional views of the vacuum collectortaken along lines 3-3, 4-4 of FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively;

FIG. 5 is a partial exploded view illustrating the operation of thevacuum collector;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial perspective view also for illustrating theoperation of the vacuum collector;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged partial side plan schematic viewsillustrating the operation of the vacuum collector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a dust or vacuumcollector 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises a base 10including an upright support or post 11 extended upwardly therefrom, andincluding a chamber 12 formed in the post 11 and defined by a partition13 and two side panels 14, and including an opening 15 formed in thebase 10 for slidably receiving a dust collection barrel or dustcollecting receptacle 30, and including a track or rail 16 formed orprovided for on each side of the opening 15 of the base 10. The dustcollecting receptacle 30 includes one or more (such as two) side rods oranchors 31 attached thereto or extended laterally and outwardlytherefrom (FIG. 5) for slidably engaging with the tracks or rails 16 ofthe base 10 and for guiding the dust collecting receptacle 30 to slideor to move relative to the base 10.

The vacuum collector 1 further includes a housing 20 disposed on top ofthe post 11 and having a compartment 21 formed in the housing 20 (FIGS.3, 4), a duct 22 attached to or extended downwardly from the housing 20,a bellows-type flexible or foldable or extendible member 23 optionallyor selectively attached to the bottom of the duct 22, and a cover 24attached to the bottom of the extendible member 23 or coupled to thehousing 20 and arranged or disposed above the dust collecting receptacle30 for selectively closing the dust collecting receptacle 30 (FIGS. 1,3, 6, 8), or for selectively opening the dust collecting receptacle 30(FIGS. 2, 4, 7) and for allowing the dust collecting receptacle 30 to beguided to slide or to move relative to the base 10 (FIGS. 2, 4, 5). Afan device 25 is disposed or engaged in the compartment 21 of thehousing 20 and preferably arranged or disposed above the duct 22 for airdrawing or vacuuming purposes.

For example, an electric vacuum motor or pump 26 is disposed or attachedto the upper portion of the housing 20 and coupled to the fan device 25for rotating or driving the fan device 25 to vacuum or to draw the dustor dirt or fume into the compartment 21 of the housing 20. For example,the housing 20 includes a hose 27 (FIGS. 1, 2) for coupling to trunks orduct arms or nozzles (not shown) or the like, and for directing towardthe dust or dirt or fume to be collected, in order to vacuum or to drawnthe dust or the dirt or the fume through the hose 27 and then into thecompartment 21 of the housing 20. The larger dirt or particles may bedropped into and collected within the dust collecting receptacle 30. Asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a filter canister 28 may further be provided andattached or coupled to the housing 20 and communicating with thecompartment 21 of the housing 20 for receiving and collecting the lightweight dust or dirt.

Another motor or motor driving device 29 may further be provided andattached or disposed on the housing 20, and preferably arranged ordisposed above the filter canister 28, and coupled to a stirring orsweeping or dust removing device (not shown) which is disposed in thefilter canister 28 and a filter member that is also disposed in thefilter canister 28, for sweeping the dust or the dirt from the filtermember and for allowing the dust or the dirt to be easily removed fromthe filter member and/or to be easily collected within the filtermember, in which the dust removing device is not related to the presentinvention and will not be described in further details, and the dustremoving device has been filed and claimed in the other co-pending USpatent applications which may be taken as references for the presentinvention.

A manually operated pressing or actuating means or device 4 is furtherprovided and coupled to the cover 24 for selectively moving or actuatingthe cover 24 to close the dust collecting receptacle 30 (FIGS. 1, 3, 6,8), or for selectively moving or disengaging the cover 24 away from thedust collecting receptacle 30 to open the dust collecting receptacle 30(FIGS. 2, 4, 7). For example, the actuating means or device 4 includes abracket or plate 40 attached or disposed or secured to the post 11 withone or more fasteners 80, one or more (such as two) flaps 41 extendedfrom the plate 40 or secured to the plate 40 with the fasteners 80 andpreferably arranged parallel to each other for forming a space 42between the flaps 41. Am actuating arm or handle 43 has one endpivotally attached or secured to the post 11 or the plate 40 or theflaps 41 with a pivot axle 44 for allowing the handle 43 to be rotatedrelative to the plate 40 or the flaps 41.

It is preferable, but not necessarily that the handle 43 includes a bentportion 45 for allowing the handle 43 to be easily operated or rotatedrelative to the plate 40 or the flaps 41 by the users. One or more (suchas two) arms 46 include an upper portion rotatably or pivotally attachedor secured to the middle portion of the handle 43 and spaced from thepivot axle 44 for allowing the arms 46 to be moved up and down relativeto the plate 40 or the post 11 with the handle 43 by the users. A link50 is pivotally attached or secured to the lower portion of the arms 46,and a pressing bar 51 is attached or secured to the cover 24 and movedin concert with the cover 24 and pivotally attached or secured to thelower portion of the link 50 for allowing the cover 24 and the bar 51and the link 50 to be moved up and down relative to the plate 40 or thepost 11 with the handle 43 by the users. The handle 43 and the arms 46and the link 50 may be formed and acted as a moving means for moving thecover 24 to close the dust collecting receptacle 30.

It is further preferable that the arms 46 each include a bent or curvedmiddle portion 48, and the handle 43 includes one or more (such as two)projections or catches 49 extended laterally and outwardly therefrom(FIGS. 6-8) for selectively engaging with the bent or curved middleportions 48 of the arms 46 and for selectively anchoring or positioningthe arms 46 and the handle 43 to the plate 40 and the post 11 (FIGS. 6and 8) and for securing or positioning or retaining the cover 24 inengagement with the dust collecting receptacle 30 or in closing the dustcollecting receptacle 30. The catches 49 may be forced to move over thebent or curved middle portions 48 of the arms 46 with the handle 43 andto selectively open the dust collecting receptacle 30 when it isrequired to clean or dump the dust collecting receptacle 30 or when itis required to disengage the dust from the dust collecting receptacle30. The dust collecting receptacle 30 may include two or more wheels 32for moving the dust collecting receptacle 30 away from or toward thebase 10.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 6, 8, when the dust collectingreceptacle 30 has been moved into the opening 15 of the base 10, thecover 24 may be moved and forced downwardly to engage with and to coveror seal the dust collecting receptacle 30 the handle 43, and thus tostably position or to retain the dust collecting receptacle 30 to thebase 10 and to prevent the dust collecting receptacle 30 from beingdisengaged or moved away from the base 10. On the contrary, when it isrequired to clean or dump the dust collecting receptacle 30 or when itis required to disengage the dust from the dust collecting receptacle30, the handle 43 may move the cover 24 and the bar 51 and the link 50up relative to the plate 40 or the post 11 to disengage the cover 24from the dust collecting receptacle 30 and to open the dust collectingreceptacle 30 (FIGS. 2, 4, 7).

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dust collecting receptacle 30 may furtherinclude a dust bag 33 selectively engageable into the dust collectingreceptacle 30, and includes one or more orifices 34 formed in the outerperipheral portion of the dust collecting receptacle 30 and preferablydisposed or located in the lower portion of the dust collectingreceptacle 30, and includes a casing 35 attached or secured to the dustcollecting receptacle 30 and having the orifices 34 formed and locatedwithin the casing 35 and having an aperture 36 formed and provided inthe casing 35, and includes a manifold or pipe 37 coupled to the duct 22and coupled to the aperture 36 of the casing 35 with another abellows-type flexible or foldable or extendible member 38 for allowingthe dust collecting receptacle 30 to be disengaged or moved away fromthe base 10 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. A control valve 39 maybe provided and attached or coupled to the pipe 37 for selectivelyopening or closing the pipe 37.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 3, when a dust bag 33 is selectivelyengaged into the dust collecting receptacle 30 and when the controlvalve 39 or the pipe 37 is opened, the fan device 25 may partially drawthe air through the pipe 37 in order to vacuum or to draw the dust bag33 toward or against the inner peripheral portion of the dust collectingreceptacle 30 and thus for allowing the dust bag 33 to suitably collectthe dust or the dirt. When no dust bag 33 is engaged into the dustcollecting receptacle 30, the control valve 39 or the pipe 37 should beclosed for preventing the dust or the dirt in the dust collectingreceptacle 30 from being drawing into the pipe 37.

Accordingly, the vacuum collector in accordance with the presentinvention includes a dust collection barrel or dust collectingreceptacle detachably secured to the dust collector for allowing thedust collecting receptacle to be easily removed or disengaged or movedaway from the dust collector and for allowing the dust collected withinthe dust collecting receptacle to be easily and quickly cleaned ordumped from the dust collecting receptacle, and includes a manuallyoperated device for selectively securing or anchoring or positioning thedust collecting receptacle to the dust collector.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A dust collector comprising: a base including a post extendedupwardly therefrom, a housing disposed on said post, a dust collectingreceptacle, a cover coupled to said housing and disposed above said dustcollecting receptacle for selectively closing said dust collectingreceptacle or for selectively opening said dust collecting receptacle,and an actuating means for selectively actuating said cover to closesaid dust collecting receptacle, and for selectively moving anddisengaging said cover away from said dust collecting receptacle to opensaid dust collecting receptacle and to allow said dust collectingreceptacle to be moved either away from or toward said base.
 2. The dustcollector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuating means includes abar attached to said cover and moved in concert with said cover, andmeans for moving said bar and said cover to close said dust collectingreceptacle.
 3. The dust collector as claimed in claim 2, wherein saidmoving means includes a handle pivotally attached to said post andcoupled to said bar for selectively moving said bar and said cover toclose said dust collecting receptacle.
 4. The dust collector as claimedin claim 3, wherein said moving means includes at least one arm and alink pivotally coupled between said bar and said handle for allowingsaid bar and said cover to be moved to close said dust collectingreceptacle with said handle.
 5. The dust collector as claimed in claim4, wherein said handle includes at least one catch extended therefromfor selectively engaging with said at least one arm and for selectivelyanchoring and positioning said at least one arm and said handle to saidplate and said post.
 6. The dust collector as claimed in claim 5,wherein said at least one arm includes a curved portion for engagingwith said at least one catch.
 7. The dust collector as claimed in claim3, wherein said actuating means includes a plate secured to said post,and said handle is pivotally attached to said post with said plate. 8.The dust collector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plate includestwo flaps secured to said plate for forming a space between said flaps,and said handle is pivotally attached to said flaps with a pivot axle.9. The dust collector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housingincludes a duct extended from said housing and coupled to said coverwith a flexible member.
 10. The dust collector as claimed in claim 9,wherein said flexible member is a bellows-type flexible member.
 11. Thedust collector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes aduct extended from said housing, said dust collecting receptacleincludes at least one orifice formed therein and coupled to said ductwith a pipe, and a dust bag disposed in said dust collecting receptacle.12. The dust collector as claimed in claim 11, wherein said dustcollecting receptacle includes a casing attached to said dust collectingreceptacle and having said at least one orifice formed and locatedwithin said casing and having an aperture formed in said casing andcoupled to said duct with said pipe.
 13. The dust collector as claimedin claim 12, wherein said pipe is coupled to said casing with a flexiblemember.
 14. The dust collector as claimed in claim 13, wherein saidflexible member is a bellows-type flexible member.
 15. The dustcollector as claimed in claim 11, wherein said pipe includes a controlvalve for selectively opening and closing said pipe.
 16. The dustcollector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base includes an openingformed therein for slidably receiving said dust collecting receptacle.17. The dust collector as claimed in claim 16, wherein said baseincludes at least one rail, and said dust collecting receptacle includesat least one anchor for slidably engaging with said at least one rail ofsaid base and for guiding said dust collecting receptacle to slide andto move relative to said base.
 18. The dust collector as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said housing includes a compartment formed in saidhousing, and a fan device disposed in said compartment of said housingfor vacuuming purposes.
 19. The dust collector as claimed in claim 18,wherein said housing includes a canister coupled to said housing andcommunicating with said compartment of said housing for receiving alight weight dust.